A few facts about this image:
• The New York Islanders are slated to have a new third jersey this season.
• The Islanders' alt-sweaters are rumored to be black.
• It's from the Flickr account from someone who has a ton of New York Islanders-related images uploaded and claims to have been "billed as Graphic Designer in the Table of Contents" of the Islanders 2010-11 Official Yearbook. The account name is "roblgraphicd"; Robert Lawlor Jr. is listed as a graphic designer for the Islanders.
• The description of this image:
"2011-12 Season will be the first in which the Islanders take part in the NHL Alternate Jersey program. Featuring modern panels and a somewhat retro type treatment, the jersey also includes the 40th Anniversary logo as a shoulder patch."
(Something that gives us pause: The Islanders of course have already had a third jersey during the Reebok years.)
Is this a concept? A prototype? The final product? No clue. We'll let you know when we receive the inevitable email from the Islanders or Reebok.
But if this is the real deal, what do you think: Pass or fail? And is this some kind of synergistic outreach to the black/blue/orange Mets and Knicks?
UPDATE: The Islanders confirm this is, in fact, a legit third-jersey concept.
This message arrived after they were bombarded with feedback on Twitter, most of it incredibly negative.